Political toll taking

Thursday

Apr 17, 2014 at 6:00 AM

The gravy train known as the Mass Turnpike just keeps on rolling.

The nearly $13 billion transportation bond bill tentatively worked out in the Legislature yesterday provides plenty of money for solid projects, including improvements to South Station, $300 million for local roads, and new trains for the MBTA's Orange and Red lines.

But, as the Boston Herald noted, it also includes some sweet provisions for some 200 Mass Pike toll workers, who will receive up to five years of additional service for pension calculations.

The cost to taxpayers — about $11.8 million, according to MassDOT — is a very small fraction of the bond bill. But it's $11.8 million that the state didn't have to pay, and comes on top of a deal that includes raises of 7.7 percent over three years for toll collectors.

Yes, Massachusetts could save about $50 million a year when the collectors' jobs are eliminated and the state switches over to all-electronic toll collection.

But those savings should have been larger.

The $11.8 million in bonus pension costs simply cannot be justified. It is yet another example of how a Legislature dominated by one political party heavy with tax-and-spend liberals works hand-in-hand with public employee unions to soak Massachusetts taxpayers.